Wall Street Paradigm

In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in Switzerland discovered that a small crystal would vibrate at a constant rate. He found this was so accurate that it could be used to calibrate time so he took it to company management and said it would make an entirely new kind of watch that had no springs and no gears. They could not imagine who would want such a thing. Swiss watches dominated world commerce. They did not even bother to patent it.

The inventor took his new idea to a commercial trade show, set up his booth and tried to interest manufacturers to produce his new kind of watch. Of the thousand people only 2 were willing to try it ? Texas Instruments and Seiko Corp. of Japan. Ten years later the Swiss manufacture of watches had shrunk to 10% of it former production.

It took a complete change of thinking to produce this new model because most people are rooted in the old way and are reluctant to change. The new model, the new paradigm is refused.

Now I want you to think about another paradigm. This time a model for your investment portfolio.

Wall Street has been teaching since time began to Buy and Hold. When your stock or mutual fund heads south you are not to worry about it because "the market always comes back". But my question is, "In your lifetime?" There are thousands of stocks that go up then go down and never recover. You might have some of those in your bank vault.

Here is the change in thinking you need to incorporate. Instead of blindly holding and suffering through a major decline, place a stop-loss order about 10% or 15% below the price. This is especially true when you first buy. The most important thing every professional investor does is protect his capital. You never need worry about how much you will make. Your major concern should be how much will I lose if this turns into a mangy dog. After you have owned this gem and it does go up you can replace the stop-loss order at a higher level and continue to do that (monthly) until you are finally stopped out (sold out) when this puppy starts down.

Your broker will not want to do this for one very simple reason. He then becomes responsible to see that the order is executed because if it isn't he will have to make up the difference out of his pocket. He will actually have to watch your account for a change. If he gives you a hard time find another broker.

Customers are not taught this simple method of thinking about the stock market because it creates additional paperwork for the brokerage company. You must change your thinking. This is a better way than how the big brokerage houses tell you. This paradigm will allow you to make more money because when you are sold out and have cash in your account you will be able to find a better stock or mutual fund.

Strangely there is a similarity to the Wall Street thinking and that of the Swiss watchmaker. If the watch manufacturer had opened his mind he could have expanded his business and held on to the world dominance of timepiece manufacture. If the major brokerage houses taught their brokers and customers to make money (which they don't) they would increase their income and have many satisfied investors. Instead of holding on to a losing position the customer would be sold out (another commission) and have cash to buy into a different stock or mutual fund (another commission). It would result very quickly in doubling the amount of trading and protect their clients from substantial losses.

Brokers almost never tell their people to sell. Of the more than 8000 listed stocks there are currently only 87 sell recommendations. It is customary after a stock loses 50% of its value to be downgraded to "hold". And you know where you are holding it while you watch it go lower and lower.

You are obviously smarter than your broker. No one will take better care of your money than you do. Isn't it time to adopt this old, but unused paradigm?

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.